UNC Wilmington vs Virginia March Madness Lines, Betting Pick & TV Info

Posted by Kenny Bell on Wednesday,March 15, 2017 10:02, EDT in

A No. 12 seed has beaten a No. 5 in every NCAA Tournament but four since the field expanded in 1985. Could No. 12 UNC Wilmington pull the upset Thursday of No. 5 Virginia of the ACC in East Region play? I wouldn’t rule it out as the Cavs struggled down the stretch, although they are solid NCAAB lines favorites.

UNC Wilmington vs Virginia March Madness Lines, Betting Pick & TV Info

When: Thursday, March 16, 12:40 p.m. ET
Where: Amway Center, Orlando
TV: truTV
Stream: March Madness Live
Radio: UNC Wilmington / Virginia
Opening NCAAB Lines: Virginia -7.5

Why Bet On UNC Wilmington?

The Seahawks, 29-5, won their seventh straight game in winning the CAA Championship Game and tied the conference record for titles after going back-to- back. UNCW secured the CAA’s automatic berth to the NCAA tournament and will make its ninth postseason appearance. UNCW, which has now won CAA titles in three different cities, last went back-to- back in 2002 and 2003. The Seahawks made a record 11th appearance in the CAA championship and matched former member Old Dominion for the most titles won.

Kevin Keatts’ team earned its second straight tourney spot by shooting 56 percent inside the arc while hoisting a healthy diet of 3s, earning second chances at the offensive glass, and turning the ball over fewer times per possession (13.9 percent) than any team in Division I.

The Seahawks are one of the best offensive teams in the country, averaging more than 85 points a game — they’re fifth in points per possession — and they do so with a tantalizing backcourt that features C.J. Bryce, Chris Flemmings and Denzel Ingram averaging a combined 48 points a game. Many bracket-busting upsets have a formula that features sensational guard play, and this team has that.

The Seahawks stand 2-39 lifetime against ACC teams and 0-3 vs. the Cavaliers. Virginia won the last pairing between the two clubs, 69-67, on Jan. 18, 2010, at John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville. UNCW owns a 1-5 record in the NCAA Tournament, playing in Nashville (2000 and 2003), Sacramento (2002), Greensboro (2006) and Providence (2016).

The Seahawks’ win in the NCAA Tournament came on March 14, 2002, when 13th-seeded UNCW, stunned No. 4-seeded Southern California, 93-89, in overtime at Arco Arena in Sacramento.

Why Bet On Virginia?

Virginia, which enters the tournament with a 22-10 record, will be playing in the NCAA Tournament for the fourth consecutive season. The Cavaliers finished in a tie for fifth in the ACC and advanced to the league’s quarterfinals before falling to Notre Dame, 71-58.

The Cavaliers like to grind out wins by playing at the slowest pace of all 351 teams in Division I. They allow the fewest points per game of any NCAA team and are 11th in field goal percentage defense. But they have trouble scoring when they need to and have great difficulty digging out of deficits. Virginia was 16-3 when it visited then-No. 1 Villanova on Jan. 29. It is 6-7 since.

Senior guard London Perrantes paces the Cavaliers by averaging 12.5 points per game while posting 122 assists in 32 games. The Cavaliers’ rotation includes two players who were in high school at this time last year – Kyle Guy and fellow guard Ty Jerome — as well as redshirt freshman Mamadi Diakite. Coach Tony Bennett hopes the experience the freshmen gained during a grueling ACC schedule pays dividends in the NCAA tournament.

The Cavaliers advanced to the NCAA Midwest Regional final last year after earning their fifth No. 1 seed in school history. The Cavaliers advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2014 and NCAA third round in 2015. This is Virginia’s fifth NCAA Tournament appearance under Bennett. The Cavaliers have compiled an all-time record of 28-20 in 20 NCAA tournaments. UVA advanced to the NCAA Final Four in 1981 and 1984.

The winner of the Virginia-UNC Wilmington game will meet No. 4 seed Florida (24-8) or No. 13 seed East Tennessee State (27-7) in the second round on Saturday.

UNC Wilmington vs Virginia Betting Pick: UNC Wilmington Seahawks

This game will probably be in the low 60s, UNCW will stay within a couple of baskets to cover.